At work.

Librarian Gets Interviews, Not Offers

July 05, 1998|By Lindsey Novak. Special to the Tribune.

Q--I have been using recruiters in my job search for a position as a professional librarian. They have been cordial and have always responded to my communications before the interview. After the interview is another story. I have had no written or oral communication from either the recruiter or the interviewer. Should I take the initiative to call and ask about the status of my interview or should I be thankful that I do not work for such non-communicative employers?

A--It's rude for an employer or a recruiter to take a person's time with an interview and not respond either with a postcard or letter saying that another candidate was chosen. In your case it is up to the recruiter to maintain contact with you. And, yes, that type of treatment does make a statement about the recruiting firm and the way it handles (or mishandles) job candidates. Call the recruiter and ask for feedback on your interviewing skills. It may be that the potential employers have made negative statements about you causing the recruiters to not send you on any more interviews.

Q--Having worked for seven years now, I'm questioning the American work ethic and wondering why certain standards are very slow to change. The five-day work week with weekends to do errands, clean house and buy groceries is exhausting. My life would be more fulfilling and I would be a more productive employee if I had time to read, pursue hobbies or just relax. I need to continue working, but I need more time to enjoy life. How do we challenge the status quo?

A--People are working harder today than ever before, but if that's not the lifestyle you want you do have choices. While you might not make as much money, consider such options as part-time work, temporary jobs, flex time, working at home or job sharing. If you want to follow your principles, when interviewing ask if the company offers any of these choices.

Q--I recently received my degree in business administration and personnel management. Prior to that, I worked as a secretary for years. I have applied for many different human resources positions, but I get turned down because I do not have the experience and they would like me to do secretarial work. I feel my degree was a waste. How can I get experience if I can't get a job in the field?

A--If a company advertises for someone with experience, it's because it has no one who can train you. But don't be discouraged. As you run across companies that want to lasso you into another secretarial job, you are gaining experience in interviewing and finding out what companies want in a human resources representative. Keep interviewing without showing your discouragement. You only need to hit that one company that has the time to train and that one interviewer with whom you click.

Q--I have read that when being interviewed, it's best to tell the truth and that it's not shameful to be fired. Yet, when one is honest and states that he or she was fired, the person is not likely to get the job. We also have all heard of people getting fired because a new manager wants to bring in his or her own people. So, with all of this positive information to reassure those who have been fired, why are employers still adamant about not hiring a person who was fired? How should one respond in an interview when asked the reason for leaving a job if, in fact, it was due to a conflict which led to being fired?

A--You are addressing two different issues. Presumably, when a person is let go because of a change in management, he or she will receive a letter of recommendation and will not have to worry about any negative information following the person from interview to interview.

Being fired due to a personality conflict is another story. Personal clashes are common in the workplace because even though people choose their jobs, they don't choose their bosses and co-workers. Employers often shy away from hiring the victims of conflicts because they don't know who's at fault. Just as a seemingly kind manager can be a tyrant to work for, an interviewee can seem hard working and responsible yet be a prima donna once hired. In short, it's safer to hire someone without baggage.

If you are fired from a position, ask your manager how he or she is going to handle future reference requests. When you have all the facts, you can then prepare an answer that will be honest yet not present you as possible trouble.